Impurest's Guide to Animals #152 - Alaskan Darkling Beetle and Flat Red Bark Beetle
By ImpurestCheese 25 Comments
Well its official winter is no longer coming, it is here and its intent in bringing cold weather with it. Last week we had a royal visit from the Emperor Newt, as well as explored a new concept that nobody commented on. This week the blog follows the weather and plunges into the cooler with two cold warriors, hope you guys enjoy.
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Issue #152 – Alaskan Darkling Beetle
Kingdom – Animalia
Phylum – Arthropoda
Class – Insecta
Order – Coleoptera
Family – Tenboriondae
Genus – Upis
Species – ceramboides
Related Species – Alaskan Darkling Beetles are one of over 20,000 members of the Tenbrionidae Family (1)
Range
Soul of Ice…
Alaskan Darkling Beetles is a medium sized black beetle that lives under the bark of deciduous trees as both an adult and a larva. The adult beetles emerge from hibernation in late April or May depending on the weather conditions and will feed on rotting wood from a number of trees, before mating and then dying once the female lays her eggs. The grubs rapidly hatch and build up weight before pupating in order to survive their first winter. Because of the cold weather it may take years for the adult beetle to emerge from its pupa, and then it has to survive another winter before it is ready to reproduce, with the fully grown insects hibernating under bark, or in log piles near a ready source of food.
The Darkling Beetle survives the freezing cold temperatures thanks to a naturally occurring sugar based antifreeze, known as Xylomannan (2), in its blood stream. Before it freezes for the winter, the beetle forces the water from its cells and bulk loads with the chemical, so when the temperature drops it can freeze, a process that starts when it reaches about -28°C (-17.5°F), without its internal organs rupturing. In this state, the beetle’s body can be completely frozen both internally and externally surviving temperatures as low as -60°C (or -78°F) and successfully reanimate next spring.
But there’s more, as one of our beetles freezes, the other one decides to avoid it althogether…
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Issue #152a – Red Flat Bark Beetle
Kingdom – Animalia
Phylum – Arthroposa
Class – Insecta
Order – Coleoptera
Family – Cucujidae
Genus – Cucujus
Species – clavipes
Related Species – The Red Flat Bark Beetle is one of 59 species collectively known as Bark Beetles (1)
Range
…Heart of Glass
Red Flat Bark Beetles are, as their name suggests, medium sized flat bodied red beetles. The adults emerge in spring from their pupal stage, and feed on rotting wood before mating, with the female laying her eggs under a section of tree bark. Like the grubs of the Darkling Beetle, the Bark Beetle grubs hatch quickly, but don’t develop fast enough to pupate over the winter, instead choosing to hibernate under a piece of wood. Unlike the Alaskan Darkling Beetle however, the Bark Beetle grubs avoid freezing by starting their overwintering preparation as early as August (3).
As summer ends, the Bark Beetle starts secreting a natural protein based antifreeze across any external surface likely to freeze over the winter. As summer turns to autumn the grubs produce glycerol in their cells to reduce their water content to around 30% of their initial concentration in order to avoid their organs rupturing from the cold. If the temperature continues to drop below -60°C (-78°F), the Bark Beetles grubs internal organs vitrify into an organic glass like crystal in order to keep the internal organs from being frozen and exploding as the remaining water in their cells expand (4). Tests in laboratory conditions show that, in this state, the beetle grubs can be taken down to temperatures of -150°C (-238°F) before they freeze.
Bibliography
1 - www.arkive.org
2 - https://asknature.org/strategy/unique-antifreeze-protects-from-extreme-cold/#.WExaz-aLSyI
3 - http://www.gi.alaska.edu/alaska-science-forum/alaska-beetles-sruvive-unearthly-temperatures
4 - https://sydkab.com/2016/01/31/frigid-and-flourishing-freeze-proof/
Picture References
1 - https://1d59b73swr1f1swu2v451xcx-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/strategy/5797e8c7e111f7a085a852790a37d02f/273243826_eb3a16f4a7_o.jpg
2 - http://bugguide.net/maps/maps/101017.png
3 - http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/newsminer.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/2d/b2d594cf-b98b-584d-af08-12d38a1a44b9/50db716ad64d8.image.jpg
4 - http://bugguide.net/images/raw/H07/0FQ/H070FQ80JQ70YQRQURFKCRFKCRE0S0XQH0KQDRP000MQYR90JRXQ3R60L0IQL060YRLQOQX0FQ40YQ.jpg
5 - http://bugguide.net/maps/maps/7531.png
6 - http://ibycter.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/IMG_1784.jpg
Talk about being cold blooded!! Next issue is the last one of the year before my Yuletide hibernation, and as such I think we should celebrate that it’s the ‘ass’ end of the year. Until then make sure to critic, comment and suggest future issues as well as making sure you check past issues in Impurest’s Bestiary.
Season’s Greetings
Impurest Cheese
Want more IGTA? For another insect that braves the cold, click here to see the ‘oh so furry’ Isabella Tiger Moth. Or for something a little larger click here for the issue on the spectacular Snow Leopard.